Committee Chair urges government to address issues with EWS1

Article summary

The Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts, has written to the government asking it to take action to tackle ongoing problems with the External Wall Fire Review (ESW1) process. Betts has said people cannot sell or mortgage their flats because lenders are ignoring guidance on which buildings require an ESW1 and instead insisting on having one before agreeing to provide finance. He has also said that situations have also arisen whereby the freeholder has said that the form is not necessary, therefore leaving leaseholders of the building unable to secure any finance.